


Let Me Drown (In The Sea of You)

by lonefungus (winkhoonie)



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Bromance yo, Canon Compliant, Character Development, Daniel is kind, Jihoon is confused, M/M, Slight fluff, not really angst, self discovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-23 22:26:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12517936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winkhoonie/pseuds/lonefungus
Summary: They say three time’s the charm.ORJihoon lets his feelings drift into the sea.





	Let Me Drown (In The Sea of You)

Jihoon doesn’t know when things started to change.

From the beginning, Jihoon thought Daniel was a kind, caring and friendly hyung who doted on him a lot, and Daniel was the closest hyung to him. All along, Jihoon was sure Daniel was just a close and dear brother to him, but he’s not sure when he started to see Daniel differently.

Although Jihoon doesn’t exactly know since when had his feelings changed, the first time he noticed this was when he went out with Daniel to the beach one day.

It was a day or two after the final episode of Produce 101, and the members were all busy rehearsing for their first comeback as Wanna One. Practice ended earlier that day at 5pm, and the members had some free time to rest before their evening practice. Jihoon packs up his belongings and prepares to leave the practice room, wanting nothing more than to lie down on his bed and take short nap. He lazily slings his backpack over his shoulder when a soft voice calls out his name from behind.

“Jihoon-ah!”

Jihoon turns around, only to see Daniel walking towards him. 

“Daniel-hyung. Do you need anything?” 

Daniel looks down and scratches his head. He pauses for a moment before asking, “Do you want to go out for a while later?”

Jihoon tilts his head to the side, curious. Daniel was not the type who liked to go outside much, even more so when they had just finished practice and were physically drained. It seemed strange that Daniel suddenly wanted to go out on a whim. “Why? Do you have something you need to do?”

“We’ve been going back and forth from our dorm to the practice room, and I was hoping to go elsewhere for some fresh air.” Daniel admits.

Jihoon now finds everything even stranger. It made no sense for Daniel to ask him, out of everyone else he could’ve asked. “Sure, but why are you asking me? I’m sure someone else like Seongwoo-hyung would be better company than me.”

Disappointment flashes across Daniel’s eyes. “I just thought it would be more relaxing if you came along... but if you don’t want to come, then it’s fine-“

Jihoon realizes what Daniel had interpreted his words as, and quickly shakes his head. “That’s not what I meant, I just thought that someone closer to you would make better company. But if you’re fine with me then I don’t mind going with you.”

Daniel’s face lights up instantly and he claps his hands with glee, and Jihoon can’t help but let out a small giggle. If going anywhere with Daniel meant that Jihoon could see Daniel smile like the happiest person in the world, he’d gladly follow Daniel anywhere. Of course, Jihoon would never admit how he found Daniel’s reaction adorable, so he just cooly pats Daniel’s shoulder, holding the smile in.

* * *

Daniel doesn’t tell Jihoon where they’re going until they reach there. After a bus ride in comfortable silence, they get off the bus, only to be greeted with a golden beach and endless sea that stretched past the horizon.

It had been a long time since either of them had been to a beach, and Jihoon’s eyes sparkle at the sight of the water, sunlight shimmering on it’s surface. The cool sea breeze caresses their cheeks and messes up their hair, and Jihoon closes his eyes, inhaling the smell of seawater. They both take off their shoes and walk down the beach, the waves lapping at their bare feet. It was refreshing to go out like this, especially since they rarely get the chance to. Neither of them say a word, but there isn’t really much need to when each other’s presence was all they needed.

Suddenly, Daniel’s hand reaches out to grasp Jihoon’s, and Jihoon turns to Daniel at the sudden contact. Daniel just looks straight ahead, as if them holding hands was the most natural thing to do, and Jihoon’s heart is about to leap out of his throat. He hopes his hand doesn’t sweat too much, and tries his best to calm down. ‘He’s nothing more than a hyung,’ Jihoon convinces himself, looking down at his feet, trying to hide the slight blush that creeps to his face. 

Fortunately, Daniel doesn’t notice and keeps walking, Jihoon’s smaller hand in his. Jihoon feels at peace, with the wind blowing at him gently, water at his feet and his beloved hyung beside him, holding his hand. Jihoon wishes the moment would never end, and finds himself wishing that Daniel was wishing the same too. He looks up at Daniel’s face, which hadn’t changed. He was still looking straight forward, at something far away that Jihoon couldn’t quite seeー

After all, all he could see was nothing but Daniel.

* * *

The second time was during their encore stage on Music Bank. 

Jihoon didn’t manage to have any alone time with Daniel for a while, with all the practices and comeback promotions, and the memory of their trip to the beach was lost amongst all their packed schedules, performances and fansigns. Jihoon also didn’t have the time to think about his relationship with Daniel, and all the fuss about how he felt was all at the back of his head.

That day, their group had once again won first place for their title song, Energetic. The members were elated, taking turns receiving the microphone to thank their fans and give their mentions. Coincidentally, Jihoon was standing beside Daniel, although he didn’t think much of it at first. 

That was, until Daniel put his arm around Jihoon’s shoulder, pulling him into his embrace. Before Jihoon realised it, his face was pressed against Daniel’s chest, and could hear his heartbeat. Jihoon was shaking from the happiness and nervousness, and wanted to laugh from his excitement. Nevetheless, he tried his best to hold it in, a shy smile plastered on his face instead. His heart was beating so fast he swore Daniel would be able to hear his heartbeat, but Daniel didn’t seem to notice, flashing his signature eye smile at the fans, who were screaming over their skinship. He didn’t know why Daniel had suddenly hugged him, but seeing that genuine smile on Daniel’s face made him forget any other thoughts he was having. 

Being in such close proximity to Daniel, Jihoon could see all his facial features in detail: his scrunched up eyes, perky nose and his perfect white teeth. And just for an instant, Jihoon felt enviousーof how Daniel was born with such charming visuals, of how he could be so confident about how he looked, of how bright and positive he always was and of how he was such a kind hyung to all his dongsaengs. 

Jihoon knows that he there’s no reason for him to hold a special place in Daniel’s heart, but he doesn’t seem to mind for some reason. 

Perhaps things are better this way.

Jihoon cherishes the warmth of Daniel’s embrace right down to the moment Daniel loosens his arms around him, just in case the day he might never feel this warmth again comes sooner than he thinks.

* * *

The third time was probably the least romantic, in Jihoon’s opinion, but it was on the bus back from the Busan Open Festival.

It was just another performance at an open music festival, and it was just another bus trip back to the dorm.

Except that Jihoon somehow ended up sitting beside Daniel.

It was purely by coincidence, since Jihoon happened to enter the bus right after Daniel, but Jihoon isn’t complaining. If anything, he was having a small celebration inside his head.

The members were all too tired to talk, so the bus was dead quiet, with the exception of the fans’ screaming from the outside.

Daniel had his earphones in, eyes closed. He seemed too tired to talk, with his head leaned against the window, so Jihoon curls up in his seat and tries to get some rest as well. Daniel’s presence beside him calmed him down, and Jihoon closes his eyes, trying to fall asleep.

A moment or two passes, and suddenly something hits Jihoon’s shoulder.

Jihoon opens his eyes in surprise, but stops moving when he sees Daniel’s head on his shoulder, softly snoring. Jihoon‘s heart swells at the sight, and he sighs. There was just something about Daniel that made him feel whole and complete, but Jihoon couldn’t quite place what that thing was. It was as if Daniel was that one thing Jihoon didn’t know he needed until they met, and Jihoon could no longer remember how his life was like before meeting Daniel. He’s sure that things would still be fine even without Daniel around, but now that they’ve met, Jihoon can say for sure that having Daniel in his life is much better. 

Jihoon’s sure of it now. Daniel wasn’t just a hyung to him, but he didn’t quite feel like something more either. But Jihoon is young and still doesn’t know much about relationships, so he decides that he’s in love with Daniel. Not romantically, but not as a friend either. Instead, it’s somewhere in between.

Even though his shoulder aches from the weight of Daniel’s head, he doesn’t mind. There’s nothing that could possibly matter more than this very moment, and Jihoon tries to stay awake for as long as he can, until fatigue takes over him and lets him drift off to sleep.

* * *

The group’s dance practice had ended late in the night and Jihoon’s limbs were threatening to give way, but Jihoon insisted on taking a short walk alone that night. It had been a few days since the bus trip, and he didn’t have a chance to talk to Daniel much since then, but something inside him was compelling Jihoon to return to the beach he had gone to with Daniel the other time. Jihoon couldn’t explain it, but he just felt like he had to go. Minhyun and Jisung were against it at first, insisting that it’s dangerous to be out alone at 2am and that someone should go with him, but Jihoon really needed the time on his own, and begged them to let him go. They finally relented after Jihoon promised to be back before three and call them every fifteen minutes (which was absolutely ridiculous, in Jihoon’s opinion.)

When Jihoon reaches his destination and gets off the bus, he notices that there’s no one else around. It was just him, the sky, the sand and the sea.

Jihoon took off his sneakers and stood by the edge of the water, letting the cold water wash over his feet. Closing his eyes, Jihoon’s head starts clearing up, and he lets is mind wander to Daniel. Despite his own emotions, Jihoon knew that Daniel never wished for anything more like he did. Daniel was just being a kind hyung to another dongsaeng, and it was Jihoon’s fault for seeing things for more than what they were. But Jihoon didn’t mind and wasn’t the least bit upset. If it meant that him not telling Daniel about his feelings could keep them together just for slightly longer, he would stay silent for the rest of his life.

Jihoon gazes down the water, remembering all the small moments he’d shared with Daniel, just the two of them, and their last visit to the very same beach floats into his mind: the way they walked in silence, the way Daniel looked so peaceful, the way they held hands. 

It looked like such a perfect picture to Jihoon.

But Daniel doesn’t want anything more, and Jihoon respects that more than anything else. 

So just for this once, for this last time, Jihoon wants to let all his feelings out, before bottling them inside forever.

Jihoon closes his eyes, and takes in a deep breath. 

“I’m in love with Kang Daniel!”

Jihoon can’t hear his shouts over the sound of the waves lapping against the surface. And on that note, Jihoon locks his feeings up at the bottom of his heart. Instead of feeling empty, he feels like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders in an instant. With his feelings carried away by the waves, his heart feels so full, so content, and Jihoon smiles as he takes one last glance down the horizon, before turning around and never looking back.

* * *

_Maybe we’re not fated to be. But when we’re together, even fate can’t break us apart._

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! \\(//∇//)\ Find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/optimuswinkhyun) if you wanna hang out and cry over wink ships together ٩( 'ω' )و have a great day!


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